orange you glad i brought fruit?

168:365

It was our turn to bring the post-game snack for softball today. After watching our kid (and all her friends) being handed total garbage after most games, we decided to do the old-fashioned thing and bring fresh fruit. It wasn't very popular, that's for sure. Still, I felt better about not polluting little bodies.

At what point did overly-processed unhealthy snacks become preferable to fresh fruit? I don't think it's a time issue, as it didn't take but 10 or 15 minutes to slice some oranges. Cost shouldn't be a factor, both because the huge bag of oranges we bought at Sam's surely isn't that much more than a boxed something with a 50-year shelf life and because should we shouldn't be haggling over money when our children's health is concerned.

The game was at 9 am. It was over around 10. Do they really need a sugar rush before noon?

I guess I'm just surprised at how many kids wrinkled up their noses at a big silver bowl of fresh orange slices. And disappointed. We should be doing a better job teaching our kids what's good and what isn't.

For the record, I'm judging myself more harshly than anyone. My own kid sat on the bench, looked at her friends take a pass on the fruit, and said, "See, Mom? I TOLD you no one would like oranges." Sigh.

M says it's because she's six. I say it's because we've relaxed our standards too many times and let her have Cheetos because "once in awhile won't kill her." I think once in awhile has occurred too often.

Oranges forever! Power to the citrus! Down with Cheetos!

(end rant)